1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beverage dispensing systems of the type having a dispensing tower, including a dispensing faucet, a beverage container remote from the faucet and a feed line interconnecting the faucet with the beverage container to permit beverage to flow from the container to the faucet. More particularly, the invention concerns a beverage dispensing system of the character described that includes a connector module receivable within the dispensing tower for interconnecting the faucet with the beverage container. The connector module includes a novel cooling component that can be connected to the feed line and to a refrigeration line for cooling the feed line so as to ensure that the beverage leaving the faucet is appropriately chilled.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many prior art beverage dispensing system of the type used in bars and restaurants have an upstanding, bar mounted dispensing tower, to which one or more dispensing faucets are connected. A beverage container, that is usually located at a remote location from the faucet is interconnected with the faucet by an elongated feed line that permits the beverage to flow from the container to the faucet. Because the proper dispensing of many beverages requires that the beverage be at a proper temperature when it leaves the dispensing faucet some type of cooling means is often provided within the dispensing tower for cooling the feed line. Such cooling is particularly necessary in the dispensing of beer because, when warm draft beer is drawn into a glass, excessive foam is generated. Accordingly, unless considerable time is spent in the dispensing process, incomplete filling of the glasses results. In active beer parlors this time is simply not available. Because of this problem several methods have been suggested for reducing foam generation by cooling the draft beer in the feed line between the faucet and the beer barrel or keg.
In the past, cooling of the feed line was typically accomplished by a refrigeration line charged with a suitable refrigeration fluid that was placed in proximity with the feed line. Although this method resulted in improved cooling it was not entirely satisfactory.
Accordingly, an improved apparatus was suggested to better cool the feed line leading to the dispensing faucet. This apparatus, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,296 issued to Renaud, includes a temperature conductive block that is disposed proximate the feed line and includes a channel adapted to receive the refrigeration line. With this construction, the block is cooled by the refrigeration line, which, in turn, cools the feed line. During the beverage dispensing operation, the beer or other liquid before exiting the faucet passes through a cooled zone formed by the conductive block and is at least partially cooled thereby.
The apparatus of the present invention, which comprises a novel connector module that is closely received within the bar mounted dispensing tower, uniquely includes within the module itself cooling means that function to effectively and reliably cool the beverage flowing from the dispensing faucet. More particularly, as will be discussing greater detail hereinafter, disposed within the connector module of the present invention, is a uniquely configured cooling component that is in contact with both the product line carrying the beverage and with the shank to which the dispensing faucet is connected. With this construction, the beverage is continuously cooled until the time it exits the dispensing faucet.
A significant drawback of the prior art dispensing systems that is overcome by the novel apparatus of the present invention, resides in the difficulty in repairing leaks and other malfunctions of the beverage lines and connectors that are mounted within the dispensing tower. Because of the very limited space that exists within the dispensing towers, repair and replacement of beverage lines and connectors is difficult, tedious, and time consuming. Even skilled workmen using special tools have difficulty in accomplishing such major work. The present invention uniquely overcomes these problems by providing a pre-plumbed connector module that can be inserted as a self-contained unit into the conventional beverage dispensing tower to take the place of the originally installed tubing and related connectors.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel connector module for use in connection with a beverage dispensing system for dispensing a beverage from a beverage container that includes a surface mounted dispensing tower to which one or more dispensing faucets are connected. The connector module, which can be operably interconnected with the dispensing faucets, includes a novel cooling component that can be connected to the feed line and to a refrigeration line for cooling the feed line so as to ensure that the beverage leaving the faucet is appropriately chilled.
More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a retrofit connector module for interconnecting the beverage container with the dispensing faucets that can be inserted directly into the dispensing tower and take the place of the existing feed lines and cooling means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retrofit connector module of the character described in the preceding paragraph in which the cooling component and the feed lines are appropriately pre-plumbed so that the connector module can be inserted directly into the dispensing tower and be correctly positioned to enable the feed lines to be quickly and easily interconnected with the dispensing faucets that are normally carried by the dispensing tower.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retrofit connector module of the type described, that includes a module shell that contains the feed lines and the cooling component that can be filled with insulation materials to appropriately insulate the feed lines and the cooling component.
Another object of the invention is to provide a connector module as described in the preceding paragraph in which the cooling component is provided with an anti-rotation head that lockably engages a specially configured opening formed in the module shell so as to prevent rotation of the cooling component and the connector tube during interconnection of the dispensing faucet with the cooling component.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retrofit connector module of the character described in the preceding paragraphs that is of a simple construction and one that can be inexpensively manufactured and easily installed within a conventional draft tower of a beer dispensing system by a relatively unskilled workman using simple tools.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the novel apparatus of the invention, the details of construction of which are more fully described in the paragraphs that follow.